Exterior insulation and thermal insulation composite area, as well as wall structure, comprising the composite thermal insulation or thermal insulation composite and complex process for the production of wall structures

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a thermal insulation composite, in particular a panel-shaped thermal insulation composite. The invention further relates to a thermal insulation composite area, in particular a thermal insulation panel area, comprising thermal insulation composites or thermal insulation panels. The invention also relates to a wall structure comprising at least one thermal insulation composite or a thermal insulation composite area. Finally, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing wall structures.

The present invention relates to a thermal insulation composite, in particular a panel-shaped thermal insulation composite. The invention further relates to a thermal insulation composite area, in particular a thermal insulation panel area, comprising thermal insulation composites or thermal insulation panels. The invention also relates to a wall structure comprising at least one thermal insulation composite or a thermal insulation composite area. Finally, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing wall structures.

Increasingly, buildings are retrofitted with thermal insulation. Also with new buildings there is a particular focus on thermal insulation with a view to saving energy. Facade insulation, i.e. the heat insulation attached to the exterior side of the outer building wall, has been established for decades. Such an exterior facade insulation is often not possible, however, due to provisions in relation with the protection of monuments or ensembles or other regulations or because the builder wishes otherwise. In such cases it is possible, for example, to carry out an interior building insulation, i.e. to attach the thermal insulation on the interior side of the outer building wall.

When installing the interior insulation it is important for various reasons that this be done in a professional manner. Different systems are available for interior insulation, for example systems with and without vapour seals or barriers, insulants with capillary conduction and composite panels with an integrated insulant. The disadvantage of vapour-tight interior insulations is that they can be easily damaged even during minor repair work or installations and consequently cannot fulfil their task any longer. Furthermore, attention has to be paid to the fact that the moisture balance of an outer building wall, in particular a wall exposed to driving rain, can be noticeably affected in a negative way. This is because a building facade absorbs water over the course of a year, which does not cause any damage as long as the moist masonry can dry towards the inside during the summer. After attaching a vapour-tight interior insulation this will no longer be possible. Moisture will accumulate behind the insulating material, and the masonry will become wetter and wetter. This will increase the hazard of mould formation and also the risk of frost damage. Structural damage can then not be excluded any longer.

Capillary active or conductive interior insulations do not use a vapour barrier. With such an insulation the disadvantages described above as a rule do not occur or occur to a lesser degree, depending on the quality of the interior insulation.

For a capillary active interior insulation homogeneous open-cell mineral panels are used, for example. This includes calcium silicate panels such as the commercially available product Calsitherm, mineral insulants containing perlite as a filler, e.g. the product lectern, and the porous concrete Multipor. Reference is made in this context to DE 197 23 426 C1 and DE 10 2010 005 361 A1. These insulating panels essentially have in common that the homogeneous material has to fulfil the functions of both thermal insulation and capillary conductivity at the same time; it is thus inevitably only a compromise. These plates generally have a bulk density of approximately 120 to 300 kg/m³ at a thermal conductivity (dry) of approximately 0.045 to 0.065 W/mK.

Furthermore, panels of expanded cork, such as described in DE 10 2007 025303 A1 are used for a capillary active interior insulation, the cavities of which extend through the entire panel and have been filled under vacuum with modified loam. While the first material is responsible for thermal insulation (cork), the further material (loam) provides the capillary conductivity. The bulk density of the filled cork panel is 120 to 150 kg/m³ at a thermal conductivity (dry) between 0.04 to 0.06 W/mK. It is desirable to have better thermal insulation values.

In EP 2 447 431 A2 a panel of expanded polystyrene, the individual prefoamed beads of which have remained largely circular and assumed only to a small extent the polyhedral shape usually present in polystyrene panels, serves as the component responsible for thermal insulation. This panel has cavities which extend through the entire panel and which are partly interconnected, said cavities having been filled, in a similar manner to DE 10 2007 025 303 A1, under vacuum with a composition on a lime/cement basis serving as the capillary conductive material. The essential feature of the above-described realisation of insulation panels is that basically two individual anisotropic matrices are placed into one another, one being responsible for thermal insulation and the other for capillary conductivity. Consequently there is neither a preferred direction for thermal conductivity nor for capillary conductivity.

According to a further realisation, insulation panels can also have insulation panel sections arranged in a chequered manner, such as can be gathered from EP 86 681 B1, which are connected to one another via capillary active cuboid-shaped bridges. Insulation panels having cuboid-shaped capillary active bridges are also disclosed in DE 10 2010 044 791 A1 and DE 10 2010 044 789 A1. The bridges are made of calcium silicate, the insulation panels are vacuum insulation panels and foil-laminated polyurethane rigid foam.

In WO 92/10624 an insulation panel is provided with through-holes which are to be filled with capillary conductive material after the panel has been attached to the wall. Insulation panels having through-holes filled with a capillary active material are also described in DE 10 2007 040 938 A1, EP 2 183 099 A1, DE 10 2007 040 938 and DE 10 2011 050 830 A1. Moreover, EP 2 183 099 A1 and DE 10 2007 040 938 both recommend to provide with a capillary conductive coating both the visible side of the capillary active insulation panel, i.e. the side which, after installation, faces the interior space, and its condensation water side, i.e. the side which, as a rule, faces the interior surface of a(n outer) building wall, in order to ensure the transport of fluids. In particular when larger amounts of fluid or moisture enter the described capillary active insulation panel via the outer building wall, this type of coating on both surfaces entails the hazard of the formation of stains or the capillary conductive passages becoming visible or the capillary conductive joints of this capillary conductive insulation panel becoming visible on the visible side, for example on a finishing coat of plaster applied to the capillary conductive coating of the insulation panel or on a layer of paint applied to said coating, e.g. due to fluid seeping through locally and/or due to the accumulation of condensation water.

Many insulating materials made of fibres are often not or not sufficiently capillary conductive, even though they exhibit a high water vapour permeability. They, too, require the addition of a capillary conductive material, which can also be ensured by providing holes which are filled accordingly.

The capillary active insulation panels available so far have various different shortcomings.

Insulants such as the ones disclosed in DE 197 23 426 C1 and DE 10 2010 005 361 A1 are relatively heavy and have significantly poorer insulating properties in their dry state than the insulants commonly used for exterior insulation (such as EPS, PU or PF). Due to their high bulk density and because of the larger panel thickness which is required for comparable energy savings because the thermal insulation they provide is only moderate, the consumption of resources is also high when using said insulants. In addition, these insulants usually exhibit hardly any resistance against mechanical loads, resulting in the small panel dimensions which often have to be used in practice. It is not uncommon for parts to break out or off when an insulated interior wall is being constructed, in particular at the panel edges, which then are often filled with mortar which does not have any thermally insulating properties and consequently represents a thermal bridge. Also the formation of cracks and blisters over a large area cannot be excluded due to the manufacturing methods applied. In such regions the capillary conduction is interrupted.

Insulants such as those described in WO 92/10624 generally use significant amounts of capillary conductive material. Thus, valuable space for the thermally insulating component is wasted. Moreover, the manufacturing process of such insulants is often anything but trivial. In addition the machinery requirements are rather complex. Due to the required vacuum the capillary active material can only be filled into blocks having small dimensions.

With the insulating panels according to DE 10 2007 040 938 A1 and DE 10 2011 050 830 A1, it has been found that cooler areas, i.e. the regions of the through-holes containing capillary active material, will become visible after a while as dark areas. An unwanted pattern then forms on the interior side of the wall. To avoid this effect, it is usually required to provide a final coat of a material with good heat conducting properties, said coat having a thickness of at least 5 to 10 mm. According to DE 10 2010 44 791 A1 and DE 10 2010 044 789 A1 cover panels with a thickness of approximately 10 mm are used for this purpose.

It would be desirable to be able to use insulants or insulation panels which do not any longer have the disadvantages of the state of the art and which in particular ensure a consistently good thermal insulation. The object of the present invention has therefore been to provide insulants which overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art and which in particular enable an interior building insulation which is easy to construct and which, at the same time, minimizes or entirely eliminates the hazard of thermal bridges without having to rely on a vapour barrier. A further object of the invention has been to make available an interior insulation which is cost-effective and which minimizes or eliminates the problem of the formation of condensation water and/or the problem of mould formation. Furthermore it has been the object of the invention to provide insulating materials or insulants which have good flexural strength. Moreover it has been an object of the invention to provide insulants or insulation panels which do not become visible. It has further been an object of the invention to enable large panel dimensions which are suitable for construction sites and which can be installed quickly and to provide a stability suitable for construction sites. It has also been an object of the invention to provide a surface which is easy to grind to be able to conveniently remove uneven regions after gluing the insulation panels to the interior side of the outer wall. In addition it has been an object of the present invention to provide insulating materials for interior insulation which do not have the tendency to form moisture stains and/or so-called salt efflorescence on the visible side. Finally, it has been an object of the invention to create or maintain a comfortable indoor climate irrespective of the season by using an interior insulation.

The object of the invention is achieved accordingly by a thermal insulation composite, in particular a panel-shaped thermal insulation composite, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, wherein at least in the region of the at least one capillary conductive segment extending from the first side to the second side the second side is provided in segments or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one first diffusionally active coating of a or containing a first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, and wherein the at least one capillary conductive segment and the first diffusionally active coating are in contact with one another.

With the thermal insulation composites or insulation panels of the invention, fluid, which first of all gets from the first to the opposing second side through the at least one insulating material unit by means of capillary conduction via the capillary conductive segments or the capillary conductive adhesive layers, is then transferred by means of diffusion towards the interior space via the subsequent first diffusionally active coating.

As a thermal insulation composite in terms of the present invention also a thermal insulation panel is to be regarded, for example of foamed plastic material, such as EPS, which has or is provided with at least one capillary conductive segment extending continuously from the first side to the opposing second side. Accordingly, the term of composite is to express that aside from the at least one insulating material unit at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material is to be present.

A diffusionally active coating in terms of the present invention is to mean a coating wherein the moisture transport occurs entirely or essentially entirely by means of diffusion rather than by means of capillary conduction. Consequently moisture transport by means of capillary conduction does not play a role or only an insignificant, minor role with the diffusionally active coatings of the present invention. Accordingly, the first (and/or second and/or third) diffusionally active coating is not or essentially not capillary conductive.

In terms of the present invention the first side of the thermal insulation composite of the invention for the interior insulation (i.e. on the interior side of the outer building wall) is also referred to as the wet or condensation water side and the second side as the dry side or the side facing the interior space. In terms of the present invention the terms capillary conductive and capillary active are always used synonymously.

In a particularly convenient realisation it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention comprises at least two, in particular cuboid-shaped or cubical-shaped, insulating material units, each having a length, height and width dimension and an edge line or edge surface extending at least in sections along the length and width dimension, wherein adjacent insulating material units are glued to one another in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, along the edge lines adjoining or facing one another with at least one adhesive composition containing a binder and applied in particular by means of brushing, rolling, doctoring, pouring and/or spraying while forming the at least one capillary conductive segment in the form of an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer formed by said adhesive composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends at least in sections from the first side to the second side, and wherein preferably at least two adjacent adhesive layers, in particular all adhesive layers are essentially parallel to one another at least in sections.

The capillary active adhesive layers can preferably have a thickness of e.g. 0.2 mm to 3 mm and particularly preferably 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm. On the first and/or the second side of the thermal insulation composites, in particular the thermal insulation panels, of the invention the adhesive layers in a particularly preferred realisation take up in total only approximately 0.1 to 5%, preferably 0.5 to 3% and particularly preferably 1.0 to 1.5%, of the total area of the respective lateral surface. In this manner it can be ensured that the original insulant, i.e. the foam product and/or the fibrous material, is reduced in its insulating performance by only a few milliwatts per meter and Kelvin. Another advantage of the thermal insulation composites according to the invention is that in one realisation it is possible for the volume of the capillary conductive adhesive layer, in relation to the total volume of the thermal insulation composite, to be not more than 1% by volume. Even with these small volume fractions and also with volume fractions below 1% the effect of the invention is achieved. The thermal conductivity of the material as such is not or hardly noticeably affected by the adhesive layer. It is an advantage that the narrow capillary active adhesive layers do not serve as thermal bridges and that moreover these adhesive layers do not become visible on the surface during the service life, e.g. in the form of a darkened region, also when only a very thin coat of plaster is used.

It can be provided that at least one insulating material unit, preferably at least two adjacent and particularly preferably all insulating material units are formed of or comprise fibrous materials and/or foam products, in particular foam products. Suitable fibrous materials can be selected from the group consisting of mineral wool, synthetic fibres, hydrophobised wood fibres, in particular soft wood fibres, wood wool, cotton and cellulose fibres or parts thereof or any mixture thereof.

The use of foam products is preferred. Suitable foam products can be selected from the group consisting of foam glass, expanded styrene polymers, in particular expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, elastomeric foam, polyisocyanurate foam, polyethylene foam, phenolic resin foam, polyurethane rigid foam, urea formaldehyde resin foam, hydrophobised silica, hydrophobised aerogels, extruded styrene polymers, in particular extruded polystyrene foam, expanded cork or any mixture thereof.

Particularly preferably embodiment variants are used for the thermal insulation composites according to the invention where at least one insulating material unit, in particular the at least two, preferably adjacent, insulating material units and particularly preferably all insulating material units, comprise or consist of expanded styrene polymers, in particular expanded polystyrene.

For example, natural, i.e. white expanded styrene polymerisates, e.g. polystyrene, can be used, as can styrene polymerisates which have been coloured black (such as the product Neopor), known from EP 981 574. Moreover, for the thermal insulation composites or thermal insulation units of the present invention naturally also those expanded styrene polymerisate products can be used which are formed of a mixture of white, i.e. unpigmented, styrene polymerisate particles and styrene polymerisate particles containing pigment, for example graphite or carbon black. Such insulation panels having a spotted appearance are disclosed, for example, in EP 1 731 552.

The insulating material units forming or contained in the thermal insulation composite preferably have a cuboid-shaped, e.g. panel-shaped, or a cubical-shaped basic shape.

Thermal insulation composites which are particularly well suited are panel-shaped and accordingly represent a thermal insulation panel, in particular comprising a first and an opposing second side.

It has been found to be particularly convenient to use for the capillary conductive segment those binder-containing adhesive compositions which contain as binders, in particular exclusively, mineral binders. Particularly good results are also achieved if the capillary conductive material or the binder-containing adhesive composition do not contain any fillers. In such an embodiment the capillary conductive effect which the segment formed of the capillary conductive material and/or the adhesive layer formed of the adhesive composition has in its cured state is particularly pronounced.

Suitable mineral binders in particular comprise or consist of hydrous and/or hydraulic binders and are preferably selected from the group consisting of cement, lime, gypsum, aluminous cement, water glass or any mixture thereof.

The adhesive layers according to the invention or the capillary conductive materials of the segment in their cured state are characterised in that they are able to be wetted with water, in particular that they are essentially entirely wettable with water. Particularly well suited cured capillary active adhesive layers or capillary conductive materials and/or the mineral binders used therefore have preferably a contact angle (also referred to as wetting angle or wetting angle of contact) with water within the range of 0° to less than 90°, particularly preferably 0° or nearly 0°. In one realisation these materials accordingly exhibit a capillary activity as is known, for example, from the calcium silicate panels of the prior art. Suitable materials which can also be added to the adhesive composition or the capillary conductive materials of the segment also comprise, for example, activated alumina, clay minerals such as bentonites and attapulgites, zeolites, superabsorber, rheology additives or any mixture of such components. In a further embodiment it is provided that hygroscopic salts are added to the binder-containing adhesive composition and/or the capillary conductive materials of the segment in order to increase the capillary conductive effect.

Making the water transport capability more uniform is in particular also achieved by combining two or more different capillary conductive materials as components of the adhesive composition or the materials for the capillary conductive segment. In this context, an embodiment is particularly advantageous wherein within the adhesive layer of the thermal insulation composite of the invention the capillary active material having the larger pores faces the outer wall and the capillary active material having the finer pores faces the interior space. Of course the two embodiments outlined above can also be combined.

A suitable capillary conductive binder-containing adhesive material or capillary conductive material for the capillary conductive segment which can be used preferably has a bulk density within the region of 0.1 to 2.0 kg/l, and in particular of 0.5 to 1.5 kg/l. The binder-containing adhesive composition or the capillary conductive material for the capillary conductive segment contains the, preferably hydraulic and/or hydrous, binders and water advantageously at a ratio such that the bulk densities described above are obtained.

In the particularly preferred thermal insulation composites of the invention the binder-containing adhesive composition or the capillary conductive material for the capillary conductive segment contains at least one fibrous material, in particular synthetic fibres, natural fibres, mineral fibres, e.g. basalt, ceramic and/or glass fibres, or any mixture thereof. In addition or alternatively also hollow fibres and/or nanotubes can be taken into consideration as fibres. The latter ones are advantageous in that they can also participate in capillary transport. Moreover, also fibre mats or fibre fabrics can be integrated or incorporated into or placed on the adhesive layer of the thermal insulation composites of the invention.

If various capillary conductive materials are to be used, the application of adhesive compositions can also occur successively, for example.

Moreover it can be provided that the fibres have a length e.g. within the region of 2 to 40 mm, in particular within the region of 4 to 20 mm, and particularly preferably within the region of 8 to 15 mm. It is particularly preferred for the average length of the fibres to be a maximum of 16 mm, in particular a maximum of 12 mm, and particularly preferably a maximum of 8 mm. Accordingly in one realisation it can be provided that the capillary conductive material of the capillary conductive segment and/or the binder-containing adhesive composition contains at least one fibrous material, in particular synthetic fibres, natural fibres, mineral fibres, e.g. basalt, ceramic and/or glass fibres, or any mixture thereof, preferably having an average fibre length of a maximum of 16 mm, in particular a maximum of 12 mm, and particularly preferably a maximum of 8 mm. With the fibrous material a reinforcement, elastification and/or shrinkage reduction of the adhesive layers or the capillary conductive segments can be achieved. In addition or alternatively fibres can also be sprinkled or blown onto the applied adhesive layer while it is still wet.

In a particularly suitable realisation of the thermal insulation composites of the invention the capillary conductive material for the capillary conductive segments or the adhesive layer, i.e. the adhesive composition, comprises at least one mineral component, e.g. silicates such as aluminium silicates, for example sheet silicates, fibres, for example glass fibres, preferably with an average length of a maximum of 12 mm or a maximum of 8 mm, gypsum and cement. The cement is preferably used as the main component.

Thermal insulation composites of the invention with an average adhesive layer thickness of a maximum of 1.0 mm, in particular a maximum of 0.7 mm, and particularly preferably a maximum of 0.5 mm in the cured state have been found to be particularly advantageous. Moreover also those thermal insulation composites which have an adhesive layer thickness of a maximum of 2.0 mm, in particular 1.5 mm and particularly preferably 1.0 mm in the cured state are particularly well suited. In a particularly convenient embodiment variant it has been found advantageous to add at least one support particle to the binder-containing adhesive composition. The precise adherence to a desired layer thickness is thus achieved in a particularly reliable manner. Large aggregates such as pumice granulate are also an option.

The binder-containing adhesive composition on the one hand provides a capillary conductive (adhesive) layer and on the other hand ensures the adhesion of the insulating material units to one another.

In a convenient realisation of the invention it is provided that the average width of the insulating material units and/or the edge lines is within the region of 10 mm to 200 mm, in particular within the region of 20 mm to 160 mm, and preferably within the region of 40 mm to 140 mm.

The objects of the invention are achieved in a particularly satisfactory manner by realisations of the thermal insulation composites wherein the first side at least in the region of the at least one capillary conductive segment extending from the first side to the second side, in particular in the region of the at least one adhesive layer extending from the first side to the second side is provided, in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one first capillary conductive coating of or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material, or in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one second diffusionally active coating of a second or containing at least one second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, and wherein the at least one capillary conductive segment, in particular the at least one adhesive layer, and the first capillary conductive coating or the second diffusionally active coating are in contact with one another. It is particularly preferred for the first side to be provided, in particular in the region of the adhesive layer extending from the first side to the second side, at least in sections, in particular entirely, with at least one capillary active first coating material, forming a first capillary active coating, which is connected at least in sections to at least one adhesive layer or at least one capillary active segment in a capillary active manner.

A realisation variant of a thermal insulation composite of the invention is particularly advantageous wherein essentially the entire surface of the first side is provided with the first capillary conductive coating material forming the first capillary conductive coating and/or essentially the entire surface of the second side is provided with the first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material forming the first diffusionally active coating.

In one realisation it has been found to be particularly convenient that the first and the second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material essentially correspond to one another, in particular regarding the composition and/or application thickness of these coating materials, and/or that the first capillary conductive coating material comprises the binder-containing adhesive composition or the capillary conductive material of the capillary conductive segment or is formed thereof and/or that the capillary conductive material of the capillary conductive segment and the binder-containing adhesive compositions essentially correspond to one another.

Usually it is sufficient if the first and/or second capillary conductive coating has a thickness of only a few tenths of a millimetre. The supply and drainage of potentially accumulating water to the capillary active adhesive strips can be improved noticeably in this manner.

Particularly good results as to an increased capillary activity also are achieved due to the fact that the first capillary conductive coating spaced apart form the adhesive layer has a smaller thickness than in the region, in particular in the direction of the extension, of the adhesive layer.

A particularly convenient thermal insulation composite of the invention is characterised in that at least two adjacent adhesive layers, in particular all adhesive layers, are essentially parallel to one another at least in sections.

With the thermal insulation composites of the invention the adhesive layers can be oriented advantageously such that they extend essentially horizontally after having been attached to the building wall. One advantage of this essentially horizontal arrangement is that if, for example, moisture accumulates at a certain spot behind the insulation panel, the fluid flows off downwardly due to gravity and in this manner encounters a capillary conductive adhesive layer. Moisture cannot spread across the entire surface in this manner.

To make the water transport capability more uniform, preferably in each section, from the interior side of the outer wall towards the interior space, it has been found to be advantageous to apply a larger amount of binder-containing adhesive composition within the thermal insulation composites towards the interior space. Accordingly the adhesive layers can also be carried out with a thickness which is not consistent. Rather, also those thermal insulation composites of the invention are advantageous, in particular regarding an increased capillary activity, wherein the thickness of the adhesive layer from the first side towards the seconds side, i.e. the interior space side, increases, in particular continuously.

The thermal insulation composite of the invention preferably represents a thermal insulation panel, in particular an interior thermal insulation panel, preferably having a polygonal basic shape, in particular selected from square, rectangular, triangular basic shapes.

In a particularly convenient realisation it is further provided that the at least one adhesive layer, in particular all adhesive layers, of the thermal insulation composite of the invention extend along the, in particular entire, length dimension thereof.

In a realisation which is also particularly convenient it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention further has at leas_(t) one adhesion promoting layer applied to the first diffusionally active coating.

In a further particularly convenient realisation it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention further has at least one diffusionally active plaster coating, in particular a finishing plaster coating, preferably on a silicate basis, on the adhesion promoting layer on the first diffusionally active layer.

In a realisation which is also particularly convenient it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention further has at least one diffusionally active coating of paint, in particular comprising a silicate paint or a silicate dispersion paint.

In a further particularly convenient realisation it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention has at least one reinforcement fabric, in particular on the basis of glass fibres, present at or in the first diffusionally active coating, preferably partially or entirely embedded into said coating.

In a further particularly convenient realisation it is provided that the thermal insulation composite of the invention further has at least a third diffusionally active coating or at least one second capillary conductive coating, in particular in the form of an adhesive layer on the at least one first capillary conductive coating present on the first side and made of or containing the first capillary conductive coating material.

The first capillary conductive coating material or the first capillary conductive coating layer intended for the first capillary conductive coating of the first side, i.e. the wet or condensation water side, of the thermal insulation composite may or may not correspond to the second capillary conductive material or the second capillary conductive coating layer for the second capillary conductive coating. Both the first and the second coating material or coating layer may also be formed of or comprise multiple different components, each being capillary active. It is also possible for the first and/or second capillary active coating material or the first and/or second capillary active coating layer to be executed in two or more layers, the respective layers being formed of or comprising different capillary active materials.

For the first and the second capillary conductive coating material grout containing mineral binders such as cement, gypsum or aluminous cement may be used, for example.

In an exemplary realisation the curing of the capillary conductive material for the capillary conductive segment and/or the first and/or second capillary conductive coating material has usually reached a point after, preferably a maximum of, three days at 20° C. and a relative humidity of 90%, or preferably higher, where the capillary conductive properties have already formed and preferably the mechanical stability is sufficient for further processing. Such degree of curing is usually often obtained already after 24 hours.

Furthermore, the first, second and/or third diffusionally active coatings can essentially correspond to one another in their compositions.

Preferably the hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material of the first, second and/or third diffusionally active coating comprises at least one hydrophobing agent, in particular fatty alcohols and/or fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters and/or fatty acid salts or derivatives thereof or any mixture thereof, in particular at an amount within the range of 0.05% by weight to 3.0% by weight in relation to the dry mass of the coating material. Suitable hydrophobing agents comprise e.g. stearates such as zinc stearate. In one realisation the hydrophobised coating materials for the first, second and third diffusionally active coatings can be also obtained, for example, by adding the hydrophobing agent mentioned above, for example the salt or ester of a fatty acid such as stearic acid, to conventional grouts containing binders such as cement, gypsum or aluminous cement, such grouts being known to a person skilled in the art.

The object of the invention is further achieved by a thermal insulation composite area, in particular as thermal insulation panel area, comprising at least two, in particular a plurality of thermal insulation composites of the invention, in particular thermal insulation panels, each having a first and an opposing second side and an edge line or surface circumferencing at least in sections and connecting the first and the second side and having a length and width dimension, wherein adjacent thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, are arranged adjacent to one another at least in sections along their edge lines or surfaces, in particular in a flush manner.

For example embodiments are also suitable wherein the adjacent thermal insulation composites or panels are glued to one another at least in sections along their edge lines or edge surfaces, in particular in a flush manner, using a binder-containing adhesive composition and wherein the adhesive layer formed by this composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends from the first side to the second side at least in sections.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a wall structure comprising a building wall having an exterior side and an opposing interior side, in particular an outer building wall, and at least one thermal insulation composite of the invention or at least one thermal insulation composite area of the invention on the interior side, wherein the first side of the thermal insulation composite or the thermal insulation composite area is arranged to face the interior side.

In a convenient realisation it is provided that the first side of the thermal insulation composite or the thermal insulation composite area is provided in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with the at least one first capillary conductive coating of one or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material or with the at least one second diffusionally active coating of one second or containing at least one second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material. Preferably the first capillary conductive coating is used for this purpose. Said coating can also be connected to the interior side of the building wall of the wall structure of the invention, for example as an adhesive or an adhesive layer.

Wall structures of the invention are particularly preferred which further comprise in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, at least a third diffusionally active coating of a third or containing at least a third hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, said coating connecting the building wall, in particular the interior side thereof, to the at least one first capillary conductive coating of one or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material. Said third diffusionally active coating material in this case functions as an adhesive for the thermal composite by means of which said composite is affixed to the building wall. By using a hydrophobic or hydrophobised adhesive the moisture balance of the wall structure of the invention can be adjusted in an even better manner for the entire year.

It can be further provided that the thermal insulation panels or composites of the wall structure represent a foam product, in particular containing or formed of foam glass, expanded styrene polymers, in particular expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, elastomeric foam, polyisocyanurate foam, polyethylene foam, phenolic resin foam, polyurethane rigid foam, urea formaldehyde resin foam, hydrophobised silica, hydrophobised aerogels, extruded styrene polymers, in particular extruded polystyrene foam, expanded cork or any mixture thereof. Extruded styrene polymers, in particular extruded polystyrene foam, are particularly preferred.

The thermal insulation composites or thermal insulation panels of the invention as well as the thermal insulation composite areas of the invention are used in a suitable manner for the thermal insulation of buildings, in particular on the interior side of the outer walls of buildings.

The object of the invention is further achieved by a method for manufacturing at least one wall structure of the invention, comprising the steps of:

attaching a precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular a panel-shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, over the first side thereof

by means of at least one capillary conductive coating material forming a capillary conductive coating at least in sections or entirely, in particular entirely,

to the building wall, in particular the interior side of the outer building wall, or

attaching a precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular a panel-shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, having the at least one first capillary conductive coating of a or containing at least the first capillary conductive coating material on the first side, over the first side thereof

by means of at least one capillary conductive coating material forming a capillary conductive coating at least in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, or preferably by means of a second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material forming the second diffusionally active coating

to the building wall, in particular the interior side of the outer building wall, and

applying the at least one first diffusionally active coating of the or containing the first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material to the second side, such that the at least one capillary conductive segment is in contact with the first diffusionally active coating.

In a particularly convenient realisation the method of the invention provides that the precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular the panel shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product comprises at least two, in particular cuboid-shaped or cubical-shaped, insulating material units, each having a length, height and width dimension and an edge line or edge surface extending at least in sections along the length and width dimension, wherein adjacent insulating material units are glued to one another in sections or entirely along the edge lines adjoining or facing one another with at least one adhesive composition containing a binder and applied in particular by means of brushing, rolling, doctoring, pouring and/or spraying while forming the at least one capillary conductive segment in the form of an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer formed by said adhesive composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends at least in sections from the first side to the second side, and wherein preferably at least two adjacent adhesive layers, in particular all adhesive layers are essentially parallel to one another at least in sections.

The precursor thermal insulation composite product or the panel-shaped precursor thermal insulation product differs from the thermal insulation composite of the invention in that it has not yet a first diffusionally active coating of a first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material.

Finally, the invention also comprises the use of the thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, of the invention, the thermal insulation composite areas, in particular the thermal insulation panel areas, of the invention for the thermal insulation of buildings, in particular of outer walls, particularly preferably on the interior side of said outer walls.

A specific realisation of the thermal insulation composites of the invention will now be explained in greater detail.

A polystyrene particle foam block is cut into strips using oscillating hot wires, the strips having the dimensions of e.g. (1000 mm)×(20 to 150 mm)×(insulation thickness). Subsequently these strips are glued back together using the capillary active binder-containing adhesive composition. The capillary active adhesive layers can preferably have a thickness of e.g. 0.2 mm to 3 mm and particularly preferably 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm. The insulation panel size commonly used on construction sites, said size being 500 mm×1000 mm× insulation thickness, can be achieved, or nearly achieved, again in this manner, for example. The strip width, i.e. the width of the edge line, is preferably 20 mm to 150 mm, and particularly preferably 50 mm to 100 mm, according to the invention.

The insulation panel is coated on one side with a capillary conductive material, for example with the material of the binder-containing adhesive composition.

To make the water transport capability more uniform in each section from the interior side of the outer wall towards the interior space, it has been found to be advantageous to apply a larger amount of binder-containing adhesive composition within the thermal insulation composites towards the interior space. Accordingly the adhesive layer can also be carried out with a thickness which is not consistent. Rather, it is advantageous for its thickness to increase towards the interior space side.

Making the water transport capability more uniform is in particular also achieved by combining two or more different mineral binders or capillary conductive materials as components of the adhesive composition. For example, cement and gypsum can be simultaneously present in the adhesive composition or the cured adhesive layer, supplemented by lime and/or aluminous cement, if required. In this context, an embodiment is particularly advantageous wherein within at least one adhesive layer of the thermal insulation composite of the invention the capillary active material or the cured adhesive layer having the larger pores faces the outer wall and the capillary active material or the cured adhesive layer having the finer pores faces the interior space. Of course the two embodiments outlined above can also be combined.

Moreover, by a tapering cross-section of the adhesive layer, starting preferably at a distance, e.g. 5 mm, from the interior space side of the panel surface, an adhesive strip can remain on the panel surface which is sufficiently small such that the problem of temperature differences becoming visible can be entirely neglected. In this region close to the panel surface the transported water can already partly evaporate through the insulation panel.

To obtain more stable thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, according to the invention, the profile of the adhesive layers can be stabilised by special shapes. In this manner the flexural strength can be increased by a factor of 1.5 to 2 for example.

A method for manufacturing thermal insulation composites can be as follows: An expanded polystyrene rigid foam block having a volume of several cubic metres is cut into pieces applying the hot wire method. As a next step the fluid binder-containing adhesive composite is applied as a coat on one side by means of doctoring, brushing, pouring, rolling, spraying, doctoring and/or injecting. The adhesive composition preferably contains fibres. In addition or alternatively fibres can also be sprinkled or blown onto the applied adhesive layer while it is still wet. This procedure is advantageous in that there are no process-related limitations regarding the fibre length and/or fibre amount. Unusually high concentrations of fibres are thus possible. The longer the fibres are, the more the shrinkage can be prevented which can occur during the curing of the adhesive composition. In this manner the formation of defects interrupting the capillary conduction can be effectively prevented. Moreover it is also possible to apply a woven or a non-woven fabric instead of or in addition to the fibres and to rejoin the freshly coated panels only afterwards. The woven or non-woven fabric can exhibit a coarse capillarity, aside from its stabilising function, thus completing the pore structure of the capillary conductive adhesive layer towards the upper end. Hollow fibres and/or nanotubes and/or natural fibres such as cellulose fibres or cotton, or possibly also wood particles, can be taken into consideration as fibres which can also participate in capillary transport. If various capillary conductive materials are to be used, the application can occur successively, for example.

The panels coated on one side are then reassembled to form a single block again. The size of this block can differ from the original shape of the foamed block, thus enabling different panel dimensions to be selected with low scrap production.

After curing, preferably at a high humidity, a trimming cut, e.g. using hot wires or a band saw, can be performed. Subsequently the block is cut to the desired panel thickness and, if required, trimmed one last time and cut into individual panels. The panels can then be coated on one or two sides, depending on the design, or packaged without any coating.

The coating material for the first side, i.e. the condensation water side, or the binder-containing adhesive composition for the adhesive layers is preferably selected such that it cures without the supply of heat or drying on e.g. a tray trolley. The coated panels can thus be packaged immediately.

During the finishing or the attachment of the thermal insulation composites as interior insulation a hydrophobised coating mass is applied to the second side of the thermal insulation units, said mass forming a diffusionally active coating. Preferably a reinforcement fabric is incorporated into this coating which, as a rule, forms the so-called undercoat. Adjacent fabric strips are embedded into said undercoat preferably so as to overlap one another. Subsequently a so-called finishing coat of plaster can be applied. Preferably a diffusionally active coating material is used also for this purpose. Subsequently paint can be applied depending on the application. The paint can also be applied immediately on the undercoat mentioned above.

A particular advantage of the thermal insulation composite of the invention is that the thermal energy stored in the insulating material units can be used to evaporate on the side facing the interior space of a building the water penetrating through the adhesive layer. That is, the water leaving the thermal insulation units is transported through the hydrophobised layer into the interior space by means of diffusion. Another advantage of the thermal insulation composites of the invention is that on the side with the first diffusionally active coating (second side or visible side), moisture staining as a rule does not occur or occurs to a far lesser degree (compared e.g. to an insulation panel with capillary conduction which is provided with capillary conductive coatings on both sides on its opposing surfaces) or the capillary conductive adhesive layers or segments which penetrate through the insulation material do not become visible on the visible side or become visible to a far lesser degree even if lager amounts of fluid or moisture enter via the outer building wall. Also, no salt efflorescence occurs at these locations, or it occurs to a far lesser degree. The application of a coating of a hydrophobised or hydrophobic coating material, where the moisture transport essentially occurs by means of diffusion rather than by means of capillary conduction, on the second side, i.e. the side of the thermal insulation unit which forms the visible side, contributes decisively to the above-described advantages of the invention. It has been found to be particularly advantageous if such a thermal insulation unit, which has a capillary conductive coating on the first side, i.e. on the side facing the building wall after having been attached, is glued to the building wall in sections or over the entire surface by means of a diffusionally active, non-capillary conductive adhesive of or comprising a hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, where preferred embodiments of the invention are explained by way of example and with reference to a schematic drawing in which:

FIG. 1: shows a schematic sectional view of a wall structure with interior insulation according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wall structure 1 of the invention having an outer building wall 2 which on its interior side 4 has a thermal composite area 6 according to the invention. The thermal insulation composite area 6 is formed by a plurality of thermal insulation composites 8 attached in a flush manner via their edge surfaces (in their length and width extension) in the form of thermal insulation panels which are glued to the interior side of the building outer wall 2 with an adhesive 9 in the form of a capillary conductive coating applied on the entire surface. The thermal insulation composites 8 each have been manufactured from a plurality of essentially cuboid-shaped insulating material units 10, which are connected to one another via adjacent capillary active cured adhesive layers 12 which in this case each extend parallel to one another. As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal insulation composite area 6 is covered entirely on the interior side, i.e. on the second side, by the first diffusionally active coating 11 of the first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material plaster coating Optionally, also adjacent thermal insulation composites 8 can be glued with the binder-containing adhesive composite via their horizontal edge surfaces. A reinforcement fabric is embedded into the diffusionally active, non-capillary conductive coating 11. Furthermore, an adhesion promoting layer 16, applied to the coating 11, a likewise diffusionally active finishing plaster coating 18 and a diffusionally open layer of paint 20, can be see from FIG. 1. The insulating material units 10 can be attached to the building wall 2 additionally via wall plugs 22.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the claims and in the drawings can be essential, both individually and in any combination, for the realisation of the invention in its various embodiments. 

1. A thermal insulation composite, in particular a panel-shaped thermal insulation composite, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, characterised in that at least in the region of the at least one capillary conductive segment extending from the first side to the second side the second side is provided in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one first diffusionally active coating of a or containing a first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, and wherein the at least one capillary conductive segment and the first diffusionally active coating are in contact with one another.
 2. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, comprising at least two, in particular cuboid-shaped or cubical-shaped, insulating material units, each having a length, height and width dimension and an edge line or edge surface extending at least in sections along the length and width dimension, wherein adjacent insulating material units are glued to one another in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, along the edge lines adjoining or facing one another with at least one adhesive composition containing a binder and applied in particular by means of brushing, rolling, doctoring, pouring and/or spraying, forming the at least one capillary conductive segment, wherein the adhesive layer formed by said adhesive composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends at least in sections from the first side to the second side, and wherein preferably at least two adjacent adhesive layers, in particular all adhesive layers, are essentially parallel to one another at least in sections.
 3. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 2, characterised in that at least one insulating material unit, preferably at least two adjacent, and particularly preferably all, insulating material units are formed of or comprise fibrous materials and/or foam products, in particular foam products.
 4. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 3, characterised in that the foam products are selected from the group consisting of foam glass, expanded styrene polymers, in particular expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, elastomeric foam, polyisocyanurate foam, polyethylene foam, phenolic resin foam, polyurethane rigid foam, urea formaldehyde resin foam, hydrophobised silica, hydrophobised aerogels, extruded styrene polymers, in particular extruded polystyrene foam, expanded cork or any mixture of these components, preferably expanded styrene polymers, particularly preferably expanded polystyrene, and/or that the fibrous materials are selected from the group consisting of mineral wool, synthetic fibres, hydrophobised wood fibres, in particular soft wood fibres, wood wool, cotton and cellulose fibres or parts thereof or any mixture thereof.
 5. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, characterised in that the capillary conductive material, which in particular does not contain any fillers, of the capillary conductive segment or the binder-containing adhesive compositions, which in particular do not contain any fillers, contain as binders, in particular exclusively, mineral binders, in particular hydrous and/or hydraulic binders, in particular selected from the group consisting of cement, lime, gypsum, aluminous cement, water glass or any mixture thereof.
 6. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, characterised in that the first side at least in the region of the at least one capillary conductive segment extending from the first side to the second side, in particular in the region of the at least one adhesive layer extending from the first side to the second side, is provided, in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one first capillary conductive coating of or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material, or in segments or entirely, in particular entirely, with at least one second diffusionally active coating of a second or containing at least one second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, and wherein the at least one capillary conductive segment, in particular the at least one adhesive layer, and the first capillary conductive coating or the second diffusionally active coating are in contact with one another.
 7. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, characterised by at least one adhesion promoting layer applied to the first diffusionally active coating and/or by at least one diffusionally active plaster coating, in particular a finishing plaster coating, preferably on a silicate basis, on the adhesion promoting layer or on the first diffusionally active coating, and/or by at least one diffusionally active coating of paint, in particular comprising a silicate paint or a silicate dispersion paint, and/or by at least one reinforcement fabric, in particular on the basis of glass fibres, present at or in the first diffusionally active coating, preferably partially or entirely embedded into said coating, and/or by at least a third diffusionally active coating of a third or containing at least a third hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material on the at least one first capillary conductive coating of the or containing the first capillary conductive coating material present on the first side and/or by at least one second capillary conductive coating, in particular in the form of an adhesive layer, on the at least one first capillary conductive coating of the or containing the first capillary conductive coating material present on the first side.
 8. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material of the first, second and/or third diffusionally active coating comprises at least one hydrophobing agent, in particular fatty alcohols or fatty acids or fatty acid esters or fatty acid salts or derivatives thereof or any mixture thereof, in particular at an amount within the range of 0.05% by weight to 3.0% by weight in relation to the dry mass of the coating material.
 9. The thermal insulation composite according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and/or second and/or third diffusionally active coating is not or essentially not capillary conductive and/or that the first, second and/or third diffusionally active coating essentially correspond to one another in their compositions and/or that the first and second capillary conductive coating essentially correspond to one another in their compositions.
 10. A thermal insulation composite area, in particular a thermal insulation panel area, comprising at least two, in particular a plurality of, thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, according to claim 1, each having a first and an opposing second side and an edge line or edge surface circumferencing at least in sections and connecting the first and the second side and having a length and width dimension, wherein adjacent thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, are arranged adjacent to one another at least in sections along their edge lines or edge surfaces, in particular in a flush manner.
 11. The thermal insulation composite area according to claim 10, characterised in that adjacent thermal insulation composites or panels are glued to one another at least in sections along their edge lines or edge surfaces, in particular in a flush manner, using a binder-containing adhesive composition, wherein the adhesive layer formed by this composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends from the first side to the second side at least in sections.
 12. A wall structure, comprising a building wall having an exterior side and an opposing interiors side, in particular an outer building wall, and having at least one thermal insulation composite according to claim 1 or at least one thermal insulation composite area on the interior side, wherein the thermal insulation composite area, in particular a thermal insulation panel area, comprising at least two, in particular a plurality of, thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, according to claim 1 each having a first and an opposing second side and an edge line or edge surface circumferencing at least in sections and connecting the first and the second side and having a length and width dimension, wherein adjacent thermal insulation composites, in particular thermal insulation panels, are arranged adjacent to one another at least in sections along their edge lines or edge surfaces, in particular in a flush manner, wherein the first side of the thermal insulation composite or the thermal insulation composite area is arranged to face the interior side.
 13. The wall structure according to claim 12, characterised in that the first side of the thermal insulation composite or the thermal insulation composite area is provided in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, with the at least one first capillary conductive coating of one or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material or with the at least one second diffusionally active coating of one second or containing at least one second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, preferably so as to form a connection with the interior side of the building wall.
 14. The wall structure according to claim 12, further comprising, in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, at least a third diffusionally active coating of a third or containing at least a third hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material, said coating connecting the building wall, in particular the interior side thereof, to the at least one first capillary conductive coating of one or containing at least one first capillary conductive coating material.
 15. The wall structure according to claim 12, characterised in that the building wall represents a building wall based on a timber frame type of construction, in particular a platform or balloon frame type of construction.
 16. A method for manufacturing at least one wall structure according to claim 12, comprising the steps of: attaching a precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular a panel-shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, over the first side thereof by means of at least one capillary conductive coating material forming a capillary conductive coating at least in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, to the building wall, in particular the interior side of the outer building wall, or attaching a precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular a panel-shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product, having a first side, in particular a wet or condensation water side, and an opposing second side, in particular a dry or interior space side, comprising at least one insulating material unit and at least one capillary conductive segment containing capillary conductive material, wherein the capillary conductive segment extends continuously from the first side to the second side, having the at least one first capillary conductive coating of a or containing at least the first capillary conductive coating material on the first side, over the first side thereof by means of at least one capillary conductive coating material forming a capillary conductive coating at least in sections or entirely, in particular entirely, or preferably by means of the second hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material forming the second diffusionally active coating to the building wall, in particular the interior side of the outer building wall, and applying the at least one first diffusionally active coating of the or containing the first hydrophobic or hydrophobised coating material to the second side, such that the at least one capillary conductive segment is in contact with the first diffusionally active coating.
 17. The method according to claim 16, characterised in that the precursor thermal insulation composite product, in particular the panel shaped precursor thermal insulation composite product comprises at least two, particularly cuboid-shaped or cubical-shaped, insulating material units, each having a length, height and width dimension and an edge line or surface extending at least in sections along the length and width dimension, wherein adjacent insulating material units are glued to one another in sections or entirely along the edge lines adjoining or facing one another with at least one adhesive composition containing a binder and applied particularly by means of brushing, rolling, doctoring, pouring and/or spraying, forming the at least one capillary conductive segment in the form of an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer formed by said adhesive composition is capillary conductive in its cured state and extends at least in sections from the first side to the second side, and wherein preferably at least two adjacent adhesive layers, in particular all adhesive layers are essentially parallel to one another at least in sections. 